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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

Educational Value

The show intends to entertain rather than educate.

Positive Messages

Kids see an unlikely friendship develop between Star and Marco, despite their vastly different personalities. Each brings out something positive in the other, as Star learns some responsibility and Marco comes to appreciate adventure and a healthy dose of danger. On the other hand, a recurring character is a negative influence on Star, sabotaging her relationship with Marco out of selfishness.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Star is impulsive, hyperactive, and irresponsible, but she's willing to learn from her mistakes in an effort to be a good friend and a worthy princess. Marco longs to shed his golden image and partake in some danger, but he can't fight his cautious, protective nature. Flying Princess Pony Head encourages Star to push her boundaries, which often causes trouble for the group. Most adult characters are frivolous and self-absorbed and rarely concern themselves with the teens' adventures.

Violence & Scariness

Star and Marco fight a rotating cast of monsters, many of whom carry weapons or have special powers, such as the ability to shoot laser beams from their eyes. Marco is skilled in karate, so there's some hand-to-hand combat, and Star uses her magic wand to protect them and to conjure creatures than can help them fight.

Sexy Stuff

Language

Name-calling such as "brat," "moron," "loser," "creep," and "turd."

Consumerism

As with most Disney programming, there are buyable tie-ins.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Star vs. the Forces of Evil features numerous scenes of physical conflict among intergalactic monsters and two teens protecting a powerful magic wand from falling into the creatures' hands. There's martial arts-style fighting (Marco is said to be a karate expert), some weapons, and magic powers such as eyes that shoot laser beams, plus an unpredictable shower of objects from Star's uncontrollable wand. Although you won't hear cursing, you will hear a lot of put-downs such as "moron," "loser," and "turd," as well as the occasional disparaging remark along the lines of "I hate your face, plus you're ugly." A recurring character encourages Star's bad behavior, but Star typically learns a lesson from doing so.

What's the story?

As princess of Mewnie, Star Butterfly (voiced by Eden Sher) is presented with her family's royal magic wand on her 14th birthday, but putting it to use turns out to be a little more complicated than she anticipated. After a few near-miss disasters, her parents decide to send her to another dimension to sharpen her skills before she returns home to continue fighting a variety of monsters who want the wand for themselves. She arrives on Earth and moves in with the Diaz family, following son Marco's (Adam McArthur) lead to blend in with the masses in high school. Unfortunately her monster foes discover where she is and travel to Earth themselves, leading Star and Marco to hop from one dimension to the next to escape their grip.

Is it any good?

STAR VS. THE FORCES OF EVIL's title tells you all you need to know about this show's plot. It's pretty basic stuff: A heroic duo faces off with nefarious creatures of all shapes and sizes, traveling to one universe after another to escape their grip. Along the way, the earthling teaches his tagalong about being human, and a carefree princess introduces her human counterpart to the thrill of adventure. Their intergalactic travels and skirmishes with evil are fun to watch but lacking in substance.

For being such polar opposites, Star and Marco do manage to meet each other halfway and forge a friendship that teaches each one some lessons in responsibility, courage, and a healthy appreciation for fun. Beyond that, though, there's not much of note in this scattered show that has the feel of being pieced together from a 7-year-old's imagination, what with the flying disembodied unicorn heads and a magic wand that conjures everything from laser beams to a bevy of narwhals. The influence of Adventure Time is clear in the kooky characters, and it's nice to see female protagonist Star fighting evil. If unpredictability and fantasy are your kids' tastes, then Star's adventures will keep them entertained.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about Star's obligation to her family. Why must she learn to control the Royal Magic Wand? What are the potential consequences to her kingdom if she doesn’t? Kids: What responsibilities do you have in your family?

How do Star and Marco complement each other's personalities? Would they be better friends if they were more alike, or do their differences play a positive role in their friendship? Kids: Who among your friends is very different from you? Does that make your relationship more interesting or more challenging?

Kids: What role do grown-ups have in this show? Are they ever helpful to the kids? Which adults serve as role models for you, and why?

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